Mine too have been trending up this week, dosent seem to matter if i eat healthy, i hope i dont have to have insulin either. Im dreading going back to the doctor next week :(
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Mine too have been trending up this week, dosent seem to matter if i eat healthy, i hope i dont have to have insulin either. Im dreading going back to the doctor next week :(
Tina - It all depends on your Dr or DE really. And don't stress about the needle (easy to say I know). But trust me you'll hardly feel it. I have always said that taking your BSL is like cutting your finger off (pain wise) compared to taking insulin. You feel the needle break the skin and then that's it! They are really fine needles too and are only short (usually 8mm sometimes 6mm if you're slim and heavily preg). Just remember to pich the skin real well (hard when 9 months at times) and you won't feel much at all.
I was terrified of having to do it, but wouldn't hesitate to do it again (but only if I have to IYKWIM).
Good luck and I do hope that your level get better.
Tina, I was seeing my DE weekly when first diagnosed and after about 4 weeks the numbers started creeping up. I had 3 readings over 7 in a 3 day period and she sent me to an endo. From there he monitored more closely and I managed to stay of insulin for another 4 weeks until they started to creep up again. I now take insulin before lunch and bed and honestly the needles are not that bad. As Becci said, the finger ***** is worse and sometimes I don't even feel the needle go in when I do my injections.
Hi Tina saw you in the belly buddy group today, sounds like we are in the same boat. My fasting levels in the morning seem to be getting higher, hoping to stay off the insulin as well.
Do you girls put it in your leg? or does it go in your tummy?
Kell, I put it in my tummy. I just grab hold of a wobbly bit and stick the needle in. The first few times I did it I was pinching the skin so hard it hurt and left fingernail marks, but at least I didn't feel the needle at all! ;)
Tummy. Not allowed to go in your leg as you use that muscle lots and it will get absorbed incorrectly. It;s a subcutanious? injection not intramuscular?
It can go in your leg..... the absorption will be a bit diff but leg is fine. It is a subcutaneous needle so anywhere from 6mm to 12mm depending on what you use. It can go in the following spots: tummy but avoid within 2 inches of belly button, outer thigh, upper outer buttocks, upper outer arm. Arm and leg it will be absorbed more rapidly and wear off quicker...bum and stomach has a more steady absorption rate. the first 8 years or so I was a diabetic i used my legs only without problems then switched to tummy...... now I use a new fangled technology pump and actually have it in the tissue on my back/kidney type area so really as long as you have skin there you can use it!!
you dont really need to pinch the skin but if you find it helps you by all means do it....a trick to relax the nerves etc is to breath out as you are pushing the needle in it forces relaxation and the pain will be less.
Hello everyone..... I'm kinda newish here, have been lurking for a while, but haven't posted though I've been a member for a while now........ Anyways, I've also been diagnosed with GD and would just like to say that you girls seem to be wonderfully supportive, so I hope you don't mind if I join you in here..... I am 33 weeks + 4 days pregnant, was diagnosed at around 30 weeks I think, can't really remember..... :redface: Still haven't been to see the dietitian or the diabetic educator, as they don't work school holidays :wall: so yeah...... Luckily I'm a nurse and there's another DE that works on the ward that I did and she gave me a small amount of info (she doesn't do GD apparently :wall:) and a glucometer...... I've been really lucky with my BSL's generally 4.4 fasting and about 5.9 after food..... I was told to keep it under 5.5 fasting and 7 after food....... Now that I'm on maternity leave it has been much easier with my food intake..... no temptation to go down to the kiosk!!!!! :lol: Anyway sorry for the long post :redface: hoping to get to know you all better in the near future.....
Hi Vanessa :) You're doing really well. Those levels sound great to me!
Any questions you have, I am sure someone in here will be able to help you with. :)
Hi Ladies,
Sounds like we have a few newbies in here (unfortunately under the circumstances).
I'm post GD now as my DD is 5.5 months now but I still lurk to try and help where I can.
Vanessa (v21) - You are correct. The ladies here are very supportive and this thread is what helped me keep my sanity whilst I had GD. It can be a very scary time but having people to bounce questions off really does help so it's best to ask as many q's as you need as it is probably something that has been asked before or someone else has questioned/experienced. Your levels sound really really good so I'd be pleased with those.
For those new ladies, and whoever might be using an ACCUCHECK PERFORMA glucose meter, I have an unopened box of test strips still sitting here if anyone wants them. Happy to post them to you. They have expiry of 31 Oct 2009. I never needed them as DD arrived before I needed that box. Box is completely unopened and sealed. So they are up for grabs. I'd rather give them away than throw them out.
Feel free to ask questions and I'd highly recommend reading over the old threads as they have some really great stuff in them including food ideas.
Thanks for the support ladies..... Snowchickie, did you go for the GTT 6 weeks after having bubs??? At this stage am just taking one day at a time, had a 7.4 after breakky today, don't really know why as it is the same stuff I usually have for breakky, so we shall see what happens tomorrow.... If it's high again I'll have to put that cereal to the back of the cupboard!!!! :rolleyes:
Vanessa, I find the same thing happens to me. I eat the same cereal all the time and usually get a reading around 5.5-6 and then all of a sudden I will get a 7 out of nowhere, then it goes back to my lower readings. I don't worry about it too much as long as it stays down the majority of the time. I am on insulin injection for lunch, dinner and before bed as those levels had started to creep up in the last week.
Vanessa - Yes I've had the follow up GTT and all was fine. My OB told me 12 weeks post birth but everyone seems to be told different on when it should be done. I just figured that my OB was giving me plenty of time for my body to go back to normal. I stressed over it for along time even from the moment DD was born but I finally just went and took it in early December and it was fine. I had my BSL's checked during labour and also a couple of times while in hospital. During labour they were low so had to have a few lollies to bring it back up, which made me throw up, but BSL's after labour were all normal.
About the high level for bfast. It could have been a result of what you had just before bed last night. It something gave you a high reading last night then it can carry over to the next morning. What cereal did you have? Maybe it was the quantity that did it, do you always have the same amount?
Just a quick note to you GD ladies ;)
This forum is great and got me through 2 GD preganacies to deliver all my kids fine and well!:)
I created a food diary excel sheet when i was pregnant to see how much carbs etc I was eating.
I have just started using a website which is a great help to food diarising and wished I had found it when I had GD.
It is a diet site, but it really makes a food diary easy!
Its called The daily plate - from livestrong.com and inserts all the information about carbs etc for common foods. Anything not in the searches you can add by hand and the whole thing can be exported or printed.
Sorry for barging in but I thought "I wish I had this when I had GD" and didnt think it would hurt to post one here.
I am trying to lose 20kgs so I can have one last bub :)
Wish me luck!!
Yeah Snowchickie, was the same amount and same type of cereal I always have - natural muesli with low fat milk.... My fasting BSL that morning was only 4.3.... So I don't think it was carried over from the night before???? Anyways, will see what it does thismorning, was ok again yesterday...
Glad your postnatal GTT was all good.....:D
Thanks for that site Kaety, just going to have a look at it now......:D
hi ladies. godd to talk to you all again. have been off line for a bit. and had gastro rip thru the family.
anyway. my levels are slowly rising and now are generally between 7 and 8.5 no matter what i do. so i am starting insulin tomorrow :( :( :(
hopefully it will help me feel a bit better. i have just been so up and down lately and i know its related to the GD.
Somebody please tell me the insulin doesnt hurt!!!!
Hi Myson, I don't know if the insulin hurts but in my experience as a RN, most patients are able to do it themselves with very little fuss, so I take it that it must be ok-ish..... The needles are very short and very fine, so hopefully you will be ok..... From what I've heard the finger *****s are worse....... Anyway, I hope that the insulin works for you...:D Sorry about the gastro too, awful isn't it???
I had a high reading after brekky again yesterday, 9.3 but it was only 1 hour after brekky (had to go out and couldn't take the glucometre with me as it was too hot then it just reads 'error') so I'm assuming that it probably would've still been high by the 2 hour mark, so have put that cereal in the back of the cupboard not to touch again til after I've had bubs.....:rolleyes: This morning I had different cereal and my after brekky reading was only 4.1, so who knows????
Myson, sorry to hear you need to go on insulin.
I promise the injections don't hurt. It's the idea of it that is worse than anything. In saying that, for some reason I haven't ever been able to inject on the right side of my belly and always do it on the left. It hurts whenever I attempt the right side, but I don't feel the left at all. no idea why!
....so relieved... it didnt hurt a bit. it is the thought of it more than anything. Now just have to make sure DH doesnt catch me injecting or he will faint .... such a big tough guy. :rofl:
V21 - just a thought - I know when I mucked around with doing different readings at different times, my 1 hour was always high (like a 9), but they only cared about my 2 hour one - and even if it was a 9+ at one hour it had dropped by the two hour. Even doing my reading 15 mins early was too high. So I reckon you might find if you try that cereal again that you're ok at the 2 hour mark?:
I had a high reading after brekky again yesterday, 9.3 but it was only 1 hour after brekky (had to go out and couldn't take the glucometre with me as it was too hot then it just reads 'error') so I'm assuming that it probably would've still been high by the 2 hour mark, so have put that cereal in the back of the cupboard not to touch again til after I've had bubs.....:rolleyes: This morning I had different cereal and my after brekky reading was only 4.1, so who knows????
Hi to everyone else, hope you're going ok with it. I also had GD with my PG (and was on insulin too). Myson - hope it's going ok for you. Totally agree that the thought is worse than the actuality, and lol that's cute re DH. My DH offered to do it for me, I was amazed TBH and didn't actually take him up on the offer.
kaety - sounds like a great site, I'll check it out (I have some weight too lose before TTC again... could be good!).
V21, I agree with what belfie said. I have done some "experimenting" with taking my levels at different times. One day I had a reading of 10.2 an hour after breakfast, but an hour later it was 5.8. I mentioned it to my Dr and he said they weren't interested in the numbers after an hour and since the 2hour was fine it was nothing to worry about. Stick as close as you can to the 2 hour testing so your results are consistent. There have been a few times where I just haven't been able to test so I have left it rather than putting in early testing numbers.
Hi Girls,
Sorry I havent been posted for a while, I have been reading your posts though. Welcome to all the newbies in this thread, sorry you have GD!!!
For those of you who dont know my story here is a quick run down. I was diagnosed with GD at 29 wks. I was lucky enough to control it through diet alone, I was so surprised by that. I had to have a c/s (due to other reasons not GD) and was booked in to have it at 38wks. I went into labour at 37 wks and had DD2 by c/s then. She wasn't a big baby at all (only 6 pound, 42 cms). I was huge and everyone kept telling me I was going to have a huge baby. My fundal measurements in the last few wks were always over what I was in wks. After I had Lara they checked both her and my BSL's for 3 days while in hospital, we were both fine. I was told to go for my follow up glucose test 6 - 8 wks after having her. I still havent gone coz I am so nervous that my GD hasnt gone away. I went to the Dr this morning and got my referral form and I have decided I am going to go tomorrow. I am so scared. I have a family history of type 2 Diabetes so if it turns out that it has gone away the probability of it forming into type2 in the future is high.
Sorry for my vent but I know you girls will understand what I am going through. I just pray that it goes away for all of us. Its bad enough having GD while pregnant let alone living the rest of our lives with GD.
Leigh, good luck for tomorrow. I sure it will be gone, I try to look at the GD disaster as a glimpse into a possible future - one that I need to do my best to avoid!!!
Thanks Artechim. I need to look at it as a wake up call too, but I haven't really been eating the best lately (with xmas and everything), think thats why I am nervous it wont have gone away.
Good luck for tomorrow Leigh - I'm crossing my fingers for you that it will be fine.
I also haven't done my either :redface: (no-one has referred me lol!), but I have tested my BSL's a few time and they were fine! Given they diagnosed me off BSL's and not the actual GTT, I figure good BSL's are a pretty fair indicator!
Belfie - I've checked a few of my bsl's at home too and theyve been fine. The only reason I am going is that my diabetes educator has organised a meeting on the 25th Feb with the girls from my diabetes group to catch up and I know she'll crack up if I go to the meeting and say that I haven't done the test yet. I keep thinking I could put if off a bit longer but I think the longer I leave it the more nervous I will be. I'll let you all know how I get on. Wonder when I'll get the results back.
Hi Girls,
Well I was brave and went for my follow up GTT. My GP will have the results tomorrow so I will either ring up tomorrow or Saturday for the results - thats if I am game enough to ring haha.
Hope everyone is doing well and GD isnt getting you down!!!
I'll let you know once I get the results
so im into day 2 with usung insulin. but i have just have protaphane for 2 nights not using it with insulin with meaols yet. and my bsl's have gone ballistic!!!!
befroe insulin my first reading was around 6.5 and staying between there and 8.5 for the rest of the day... but now with the long acting night dose my levels are 10 to 12 first off and then swinging from 3.9 -13 throughout the day.
i rang the clinic and they said give it a few more days to settle down. Did this happen to anyone else when starting out on the insulin?
also, had a growth scan yesterday and measurements put me around 2.5 weeks ahead of where i am already. dont completely trust scans for this info as they have been wrong for me before ( not too sure about the operator too...???) but while i am not freaking yet, my concern level had risen a couple of notches this week.
Myson, as I said in the other post my bubs is measuring 2 weeks ahead as well..... But ultrasounds can be up to 500g out, therefore if it is out by that much it would put me back into the normal ranges for bubs gestational age...... if that makes any sense at all!!!:lol:
Leigh, I'm sure all will be fine...... Especially if your BSL's have been good post pregnancy....:D
Hello everyone
I'm such a newbie here. First time mommy-to-be, 28 weeks along and just yesterday had been diagnosed with GD :(:( Both my parents are Type 2 so it doesn't come as a surprise to me but I really didn't expect it to be at this early age (am 27 yrs old)!
Anyway, went to see the Diabetes Expert yesterday and she taught me how to use and do my BSL readings. I have a week to record my BSL and keep it at bay with low GI food intake. Then they'll decide if I need to be put on insulin injections. And I'm so so frustrated with it!! With BSL recordings, she said my target after fasting should be less than 5.5 and each time after 2 hours meal should read to less than 7.0
So last night I had roast chicken and carrots with steamed broccoli and mushroom sauce. 2 hours later it read 6.7 (still lower than target, which is fine *all smiles*)
This morning before breakfast it shoot up to 7.0! Now how did THAT happen?
Anyway, had my breakfast of 2-eggs omelette with tomatoes, mushroom and cheese. 2 hours later, it's still read 7.0
So I busied myself (trying hard not to think about food!), and at lunch time I fixed myself some roast chicken leftovers with lettuce wrapped in a pita bread. 2 hours later, my BSL went beserk to 9.4!! :(:(
I'm devastated :redface: and so so frustrated already. I really hope not to be put on insulin and (not to mention how I SO want a chocolate pudding right about now!:redface:) I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Could it be the pita bread? Or eggs and cheese? It can't be MUSHROOMS! ..or can it? I do have a list of food to avoid (high GI foods) by the DE and can't seem to understand why my BSL is shooting up higher and higher!
I had a quater of an apple as a late afternoon snack and for dinner, a chicken and spinach stir fry with mushrooms and lemongrass. I'll keep you updated with my recordings tonight.
Thanks for a lending ear! :)
Miza
After 2 hours of dinner (chicken + spinach + mushroom + chillies stir-fry), my BSL read 7.3 :(
double post
smudgy, did you have anything with your stir fry? rice or noodles?
I completely understand your frustration. Unfortunately everyone is different and certain foods that work for one person don't work for another. I can eat pita wraps until the cows come home, but can't eat any kind of bread. It could possibly be the eggs or cheese. It's a matter of elimination really. I do ok with eggs, but not so good if I have cheese.
As for your fasting levels, unfortunately there isn't much you can do about those as it is hormonal. They were the first ones to go up for me and I was put on insulin before bed to control them. Did you have a snack before bed? I don't usually, but sometimes I have a glass of milk and my morning levels are still on the high side. The first week or so is a lot of trial and error to see what works for you. I was also told to try and go for a walk or do some excercise one hour after every meal for 20 minutes and that helped my levels alot and kept me off insulin for a few extra weeks.
Keep us posted with how you go and fire away any questions you have. :)
Myson, sorry can't help you with your problem. How many units of protophane are you on? I found it took about 2 days of taking it and it was helping all my other levels throughout the day and was getting readings between 4.5-6 all the time. My dose has gone up almost weekly and I start 11units tonight, but it has never caused my levels to go higher than what they were. Let me know how you go for the next few days.
Smudgy, don't forget to eat between meals as well...... It is better to have 6 small meals a day than 3 large ones, may also help with the BSL's...... ;) It is a game of trial and error, til you find the foods that don't put your BSL's up high, a week is a very short time to try and find it out..... I can eat multigrain rolls, but not bread, go figure, bread continually puts my BSL's up....... Oh and BTW chocolate doesn't put my BSL up, though still best to only have a couple of squares......;) I hope that you are able to control the GD with your diet, I'm sorry that you were diagnosed with it...... Good luck over the next couple of days. :D
Hi Megan:
No, no noodles or rice with the stir-fry. It's frustrating :(
I've walked for 20 minutes today and plan to for the rest of the week. Hopefully that'll help. And I don't snack before bed either. But tonight I had 1/4 cup of oats with warm milk. We'll see how I go tomorrow morning. Will keep updated!
p/s: I'm planning to have one thin sausage with a piece of toast and baked beans with lots of mixed veggies for breakfast tomorrow. How much baked beans can I have? Half a cup?
Hi Vanessa:
Yes, that's something I've not tried. I think smaller meals sounds better for me since I bloat up after my meals.
p/s: any idea how much baked beans I can have for breakfast?
Thanks!
Miza
When I have baked beans I have a 3rd of a can on one slice of toast. That's probably about half a cup, but I haven't measured it before!
I can have thin sausages (one) but never the yummy thick flavoured ones!! Good luck with tomorrow. :)
With the excercise if you can, try and up it to 40-60 minutes in total for the day. I broke it up into 15-20 minute bursts, but it worked! Something I haven't been doing in the hot weather I have to admit.
Thanks Megan!
Did my reading this morning before breakfast, it turned out 7.7! Oh dear me..
megan. started on 4 units so far. bit better today but still more erratic than when i was doing without. DE says give it a few more days... we'll see..
Smudgy. beans are GREAT for GD. baked beans, green string beans, 3 bean mix. also i was told 20 mins a day is not enough. go for 15 after each meal if you can. also lots of multigrains are actually made with white flour... maybe try wholemeal or rye???
also if your level is good at night then higher in the morning then that is to do with your liver (i think) overcompensating and releasing sugar back to your bloodstream as the level drops during the night. Try snacking on yoghurt or a handful of almonds right before bed and see if that helps your morning reading.
watch your labels when you shop. i have found some things that say "light" are because of a reduced fat content BUT the sugar content (or carbs) is higher than the "non-light" alternative. but if i am telling you stuff you already know then just tell me to jump in the lake :rofl:
Good luck with it matey and congrats on the pregnancy!!!!
myson - wholemeal or rye. got it. thanks! :D
So after that 7.7 horror reading before breakfast, I had - 1 thin sausage + 1/4c baked beans + a mouthful of mixed veggies.
BSL after 2 hours = 6.2
Then for lunch with much disappointment, depressed and feeling so low, I had only 2 pieces of KFC chicken.
BSL after 2 hours = 4.9 :dance: but oh-so-hungry :redface:
Immediately snacked on 1/4 apple + 50g yoghurt + stole 2 chips from hubby's KFC dinner :rolleyes:
Then for dinner its beansprouts + mushrooms + capsicum + onions + garlic + ginger stir-fry + 1/4 soy milk
BSL after 2 hours = 6.1 :lol: but still rather hungry
Before bed munched on a handul of chickpeas + 3/4 of a carrot
BSL the nxt day (today) before breakfast = 5.2 :dance: first time reached the targeted mark of <5.5 after fasting level! yippee!
So I had breakfast of 1 thin sausage + 1/2 slice white bread + 1/2 capsicum + mushrooms + 1/4c of soy milk.
BSL to be announced in 2 hours time :pray::pray:
I think yesterday's reading went okay except for the high before breakfast. But I do feel a bit hungry. Like before bed last night I was a bit hungry so I went to sleep instead of raiding the kitchen. And oh I've lost almost 2kgs since my diagnose. That's less than a week ago! Surely it's not healthy, eh? I dunno. Should I be worried?